Idris Elba initially refused to play Mandela

Actor Idris Elba was so worried about being cast as Nelson Mandela in his biopic that he hung up the phone when he was first approached about the role.
The 41-year-old actor was apprehensive about playing South Africa's first black president in the biopic 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom' and he even tried to pass the role onto Morgan Freeman - who played Mandela in 2009 film 'Invictus', reported Contactmusic.
"You know, I was really, really sensitive about the role. My agent called up to ask if I wanted to play Mandela and I put the phone down on him. I was like, no way. Mandela? Couldn't do it," Elba said.

"Then I thought to myself, called him back and said, 'Can I be honest? If it's a grey-haired version of the fist-pumping Mandela, I'm not the actor to bring in. I'm not Morgan, go with Morgan," he added.
Elba, who plays a younger version of Mandela showing his struggle as a younger man against apartheid rule in South Africa, is being tipped for an Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of the late Nelson Mandela, who died aged 95 last Thursday following prolonged lung problems.